Black Rice Blueberry & Jalapeno Salad

Now that grilling season is here, an arsenal of side salad recipes is something we all need. Once we've had potato salad a dozen different ways or pasta salad until we never want to see another dried noodle as long as we live, what's left? Well, there's this little number for starters.

Like a little black dress, this is one is suitable for all events. Dress it up fancy or or dress it down casual - the finest filet or  the most basic burger - Black Rice Blueberry & Jalapeno Salad is just right for any occasion. This lovely little basic black salad might have just a little more elegance than potato salad. Maybe it has just a little more pizzazz.

With blueberries in season and a BIG bag of black rice in my pantry (thank you Costco!), it only seemed natural to devise a way to use them together. Sweet blueberries balanced against tart fresh lime and vinegar and a contrast of chewy, toothsome rice and crisp green onions and red slivers of jalapenos gave nice textural interest as well as some pretty amazing flavor.

The simple, basic black salad is always in good taste...and it tastes good!

Black Rice Blueberry & Jalapeno Salad

• 2 cups cold, cooked black rice - don't substitute white rice (cold, cooked brown rice would work just fine - just wouldn't be nearly as dramatic!)
• 6 green onions, root end removed and sliced thinly well into the green
• 1 red jalapeno - or green if you can't find a red one, stem and seeds removed, sliced very thinly
• 1 cup blueberries, washed and dried
• 1 t. Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• the juice of 1 lime
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 3 T. olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently, but well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Teriyaki Burgers

 

For some odd and arbitrary reason, Tuesdays have always been burger night in our house. Sunshine, combined with traditional Tuesday burger night, had Mark and I craving Teriyaki Burgers - damn the snow! 

These burgers are one of our favorite Burger Night burgers in warm summer weather, so why should a little snow out in the back deter us from such delightfulness?  It shouldn't.  Even more importantly, it DIDN'T!

Although the recipe calls for ground beef, this is equally as delicious made with ground chicken or turkey or (probably my favorite of all) ground pork...or any combination of any of the foregoing. Crunchy water chestnuts, zingy green onions, (wheat-free) tamari and just a kiss of brown sugar turn ordinary ground meat into one very special burger.  

Sure, you could broil these inside, but then you'd miss the dreams of summer that go along with grilling in the cold.  What's a little shivering when the smoky aroma of fat hitting the flames fills your nostrils with enchantment and the resultant sizzle is staccato music to your ears?  

There might be snow on the ground, but just for a little while it is summer in your heart.  And tummy. 

 Teriyaki Burgers

• 2 pounds ground chuck
• 8 ounces waterchestnuts, canned, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup tamari soy sauce, wheat-free (or regular soy sauce if you're not concerned about gluten)
• 4 green onions, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Mix all ingredients together well, but do not overwork the mixture to keep it light.  

Make into 8 patties and grill carefully.  They may stick or fall apart if you're not careful with them.  I usually use a grill basket for easy handling and turning.


NOTE:  If we're not having company, I still make all 8 patties and freeze half of them to thaw and cook as the mood hits.  No fuss, made-ahead teriyaki burgers from the freezer are always nice to have on hand.

Instead of beef, try ground chicken, turkey or pork - or any combination.  I think my favorite is ground pork. Yum!